Shoe-stretcher



A. B. ELMSTHUM.

SHOE STRETCHER. APPLICATION FILED ri. 12. 1919.

Patented 001.1411919.

ment ofseparation.

` '5 With this general object in View, an imf `ofthe frontends thereof. f

Y' ANSHELM BR'roiv ELM'sTaoM, tor' woncnsrnaivmssncrmsnrrs.

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Speeication of Letters Patent. Patented Oct. 14, 1919i Application filed February 12, 1919. Serial 110.276,690;4

To all whom it may concern -Be it known that I, ANSHELM BURTON ELMsTRoM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of W'o'rcester and State of Massachusetts, have inventeda new and` useful Shoe-Stretcher, ofgwhich the following isa specification. i

VThis invention relates tofa shoe stretcher of Vthegeneral type in which two separable last blocks are mounted fora relative move- Itis the objectof the construction' o ffsuch shoe stretchersto the end that they may be more eflicien'tly operated and that they may be less subject to breakage andaccident.

portant feature of my invention 'relates-'tol improved devicesf'for holding 'the rear ends ofthe blocks in their normalv relative pos'i- 1 Separation.

tion while Ypermitting angular 1A`further feature relateslto the Vprovisiony @fanti-friction devices between the separat-l ing wedge and the last blocks by which pro# visionefase of operation is assured. Another14 feature relatestfo the provi-slon of a-newand'f effec-tive spring for drawing-the blocks toward each other. l

My, inventionfurther relatesto arlallgements and combinations off parts `hereinafter described and more particularlyl pointed out in the appended'clailns. 'l

A preferred form of my ,invention is shown in the drawings, in whiche- Figure l is a side elevation of my im proved shoe stretcher;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one part of the stretcher with certain details shown in section;

Fig. A3 is a pla-n view of the stretcher;

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation'of 'the threaded nut by which the last blocks are held in positi-on; Y

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the separating wedge;

Fig. (iy is a detail sectional view taken along the line (3#6 in Fig. 2 and showing my improved spring, and

Figs. 7 and 8 are detail sectional views showing modifications, taken in a position corresponding to the line 7-7 in Fig. 3.

Referring *to the drawings, I have shown a shoe stretcher comprising last blocks 10 and l llleach grooved onits inner side, Vas indicated by dotted lines at 12 in Fig. 3, to receive al wedge 13 mounted upon a threaded rod 14 having' a bearing in a nut 15. The nut 15 is provided with laterally extending portions 16 (FigAf) received in vrrecesses inV the linner faces of Lthe blocks 10 and 11,#and preventing relativey longitudinal movement thereof. The nut YV15 is'also providedwith an integral flange 17 at its rear end in which f are mounted studs l8extending into recesses my invention to improvev inthe rear faces ofthefblocks 10v and 11,v and preventing lateralseparation thereof.

The portions '16 of the nut 15 are somewhat loosely fitted in the corresponding recessesin the blocks and permit a relative angular separation of the blocks substantially about the rearfends thereof as axes. These re cesses are formed from the inner faces ofthe blocks yand de not'extendv through the outer surface. f` f. f l.

"A Ulsh'aped spring 20' (Fig. 6) is inserted in'openings-21 extending into the blocks 10 and 11 from the rear and preferably diverg; ing, as shown in Fig. 6. Additional r/ e-I cesses '22 at the extrenie'endf of the blocks receive the intermediate coiled portion of sitio-n 'by'thef iange 17 of'the nut 15 which covers the recesses'22. When removed v fromv thefblocls/,the two armsof ther spring are normally closely adjacent, being displaced outwardlyy when inserte/din the f openings 21 and yieldingly forcing the blocks toward each other.`

In Fig. 5 I have shown an improved means for securing the wedge 13 in position on the rod 14. As indicated in said figure, the rod 14: has a bearing in a hole in the rear part of the wedge 13, the end of the rod preferably being seated against an antifriction thrust bearing 23. The rod 14 extends across an opening 24 in the wedge, and the stock of the rod is expanded in said opening as shown in Fig. 5, thus preventing displacement of the parts when once assembled. `1

In order to provide a more easy operation of my improved stretcher, I have shown several forms of anti-friction devices interposed between the wedge 13 and the blocks 10 and 11. In Figs. 2, 3 and 5 I have indicated rolls 25y pivoted in the wedge 13 and preferably engaging vmetal plates 26 secured in the the spring, and the spring is retained in pobottomsy of the recesses 12 in the blocks 10 and l1. By this construction the smoothness and ease of operation is much improved.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a modification in which rolls 27 are pivoted in a casing 28 fixed in a recess in each last block, said rolls being engaged by the convex surface ofthe wedge 13.

In Fig. 8 a somewhat similar construction is shown in which balls 30. are substituted for the rolls 27, and it will be understood that similar substitution of balls for rolls may be made in the form shown in- Fig. 5.

Vith the parts thusl constructed, it will be evident that my improved shoe stretchery can be assembled without the use of screws or other holding devices, and that when once assembled the parts cannot be displaced except by angular separation far bey-ond any position assu-med in normal operation.V

Having thus described my invention, and certain modifications thereof, it will be evident thatk other changes and modifications can be made therein byl those skilled in the art, within the scope of' my invention as set forth in the claims, and I do. not wish to; be otherwise limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:-

l. A shoe stretcher having, in combination, a pair of last blocks, a block-separating*4 screw, and a nut for said screw, said nutv having portions extending laterally into said blocks and having additional portions extending longitudinally into said blocks whereby relative lateral or longitudinal displacement of' said blocks is prevented.

2. A shoe stretcher having, in combination, a pair of last blocks, a block-separatingv screw, and a nut for said screw, saidnut having portions extending laterally into said blocks and having a iange at its rear end with lugs thereon extending forwardly.y into Copies of this patent4 may-be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the the rear ends `of said blocks to prevent relative lateral or longitudinal displacement thereof.

3. A shoe stretcher having, in combination, a pair of last blocks, a block-separating screw, and a nut for said screw effective Vin itsel'f to limit relative movement of said blocks to angular movements of separation substantially about the rear ends of said blocks as axes.

4. In a shoe stretcher having a pair of last blocks, means to separate said blocks, comprising a threaded rod, a nut for said rod, and a wedge having a transverse opening therein and mounted on said rod in engagement with said blocks, said rod having a bearing in said wedge and extending beyond said bearing into said transverse opening in said wedge, and an integral portion of said rod being expanded in said opening and effectually preventing relative axial displacement of said rod and wedge, while permitting relative angular movements. thereof.

5. A shoe stretcher comprising a. pair of angularly separable last blocks, having forwardly extending recesses in their rear ends, and a spring for said blocks having a general U-shape and havingf its two` ends inserted from the rear in said recesses.

6. In a shoe stretcher, in combination, a pair of angularly separable last blocks having forwardly extending diverging recesses in their rear ends, andy a spring for said blocks having a general U-shape and comprising a coil of wire having two straight end-s extending forward-ly and.l received in said' recesses in the rear of said blocks to yieldingl-y resist separation of said blocks.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto aiiixed my signature.

ANSHELM BURTON ELMSTROM..

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington,- D. Q. 

